Vitamin A Resolves Lineage Plasticity to Orchestrate Stem Cell Lineage Choices

March 2024 in “ Science ”

Matthew Tierney, Lisa Polak, Yuekui Yang, Merve Deniz Abdusselamoglu, Inwha Baek, Katherine Stewart, Elaine Fuchs

vitamin A all-trans retinoic acid atRA hair follicle stem cells HFSCs lineage plasticity wound healing retinoid stem cells regenerative medicine retinoic acid

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Studysummary In this study, researchers found that retinoic acid is crucial for hair follicle stem cell function and tissue regeneration by resolving lineage plasticity, with potential therapeutic implications for hair growth, wound healing, and cancer.

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The study by Tierney et al. reveals that vitamin A, through its metabolite all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), plays a crucial role in regulating lineage plasticity in mouse hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). Vitamin A restricts lineage plasticity, which must be suppressed to allow stem cells to switch fates during wound healing. By manipulating retinoid availability, the researchers were able to direct stem cells to either heal wounds or generate hair. This finding has significant implications for regenerative medicine, wound repair, and cancer treatment, as it highlights the importance of atRA in balancing stem cell contributions to different tissue types during homeostasis and repair.

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